Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has told rival power unit manufacturers to “get your s*** together” rather than complain about a potential loophole.
Mercedes is one of the power unit manufacturers, along with Red Bull, understood to have interpreted a possible loophole in the new regulations surrounding compression ratios, which has triggered fevered discussion within the F1 paddock.
Toto Wolff tells rivals ‘get your s*** together’ over PU complaints
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Technical experts have held recent meetings with the FIA over questions and concerns Mercedes and RBPT/Ford have found a way to exceed the maximum permitted compression ration of 16:1.
Regulations mandate the compression ratio be measured at ambient temperature, not when the engine is hot. It’s alleged both Mercedes and RBPT/Ford have found ways to increase the compression ratio while running on track.
An increased compression ratio can both deliver more power and greater fuel efficiency.
Former Ferrari, Brawn and Mercedes boss, Ross Brawn, had previously dubbed the rumoured workaround a “clever interpretation of the regulation” rather than anything untoward.
Wolff confirmed his and the team’s conversations with the FIA have always been “very positive” through this process, and said about rivals that, rather than using underhand tactics to try and muddy the waters, teams should instead look inwards about how to perform better.
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“As you know, I’m always skeptical about performances,” Wolff told PlanetF1.com and others on Monday.
“I’ve too often set my expectations in the wrong place, and I just don’t want to come to a realisation in Bahrain or in Melbourne, that we are not what we thought we are going to be. And that is a race winner. That’s simply because of that.
“I think we need to have more work done at that stage, as when it comes to the engine question, I just don’t understand that some teams concentrate more on the others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent.
“Communication with the FIA was was very positive all along. And it’s not only on compression ratio, but on other things too – and specifically in that area, it’s very clear what the regulation says, very clear what the, let’s say, standard procedures are on any motors, even outside of Formula 1.
“So, just get your s*** together and…you know, doing secret meetings and sending secret letters, and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don’t exist is, I feel like I can just say at least from us here, we are trying to minimise distractions, and minimising distractions is looking more at us than everybody else when it’s pretty clear what the what the regs say, and also pretty clear what the FIA has said to us and has said to them so far.
“But maybe, we’re all different. Maybe you want to find you want to find excuses before you even started, why things are not good.
“Everybody needs to do it at the best of their ability, but that is really not how is not how we how we would do things, especially not after you’ve been told a few times that that is fine, it’s legal, and it’s what the regulations say.
“Again, if somebody wants to entertain themselves by distraction, then everybody’s free to do this.”
Asked if he expects any protests over the Mercedes power unit, Wolff emphasised the new engine’s legality as per the regulations, and the early indications from the W17 are that the team has a strong starting point – or, at least, not a “turd” of a car this year.
“The power unit is legal,” Wolff stated.
“The power unit corresponds to how the regulations are written. The power unit corresponds to how the checks are being done. The power unit corresponds to how these things are measured in any other vehicle and everything else.
“I can’t judge upon, but that’s how we see the world today, and that’s what the FIA said. That’s what the President of the FIA [Mohammed Ben Sulayem] said, and he knows a bit about that. In that respect, let’s wait and see, but we feel feel robust.
“On the other side, we feel enthused by going into this new environment. It’s obvious that you wake up with more of a smile if the car is quick, and the early indications that we had were positive that at least it doesn’t look like a turd and we’re midfield, it looks like we have something that we can build upon.
“So, generally, we are happy people, but with the skepticism in knowing that we haven’t got reliable data of the other usual suspects.”
Additional reporting by Mat Coch
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